Spanking Proponents `Outfoxed`

May 23, 1985

IT TOOK WHAT some state senators called trickery, but a worthy child-care reform bill is ready for Gov. Bob Graham`s signature without an onerous provision that would have allowed paddling of children in day-care centers with prior approval by parents.

The maneuver prompted a shouting match between corporal punishment proponent and Minority Leader Dick Langley of Clermont and bill sponsor Sen. Roberta Fox, D-Miami. But, so be it. Even if Fox`s actions could be considered sneaky, it was worth it.

The provision calling for paddling, even with parental approval, would have been a mistake.

Corporal punishment administered to school-age youngsters is one thing. Spanking a fragile toddler or 4-year-old, no matter how fractious, opens up too many possibilities for abuse.

In explaining the revised bill to the Senate Wednesday morning, Fox said only that although differences remained with the House version of the bill, House leadership had agreed to accept the Senate version.

She specifically did not mention spanking, which had been removed from the Senate bill while Senate corporal punishment proponents were busy with other chores.

Unaware of what had taken place, Langley and others who favored spanking by parental permission joined the unanimous vote for the bill.

The measure -- minus the corporal punishment language -- was returned to the House, which reversed its earlier approval of limited corporal punishment and voted to go along with the corporal punishment ban.